Erik Jensen
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eriktakestransit.bsky.social
Erik Jensen
@eriktakestransit.bsky.social
820 followers 240 following 220 posts
Fan of transit, bikes, and climbing | Transit Innovation in Chicago, Formerly WMATA and NYCT | Views my own

Masto: erik@urbanists.social
Blog: justjensen.co
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eriktakestransit.bsky.social
Good morning Chicago
An urban train station with a red brick building, possibly the Harold Washington Library, in the background. A train is arriving on an elevated track beside a snow-covered platform. The scene is set in a city, with tall buildings and a gray sky. A snowy scene of a city skyline featuring tall, modern buildings flanking a river. There's a bridge and water beneath, with some greenery visible along the banks. The atmosphere is gray and overcast, typical of a winter day. A snowy urban landscape with heavy snowfall obscuring visibility. Buildings and streets are covered in snow, creating a wintry scene. A snowy urban landscape seen through a window, with buildings fading into a white haze due to heavy snowfall. Rooftops are blanketed in snow, and visibility is low.
November 10, 2025 at 3:27 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
Not to wax all poetic, but it’s pretty magical riding on a train across the country side during a Fall sunset

Everyone deserves to experience this
Autumn landscape featuring trees with vibrant orange, red, and yellow foliage, viewed through a train window.
November 6, 2025 at 10:05 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
Bathroom gets an 8/10.

Spacious but you definitely still know you’re on a train. The motorized door with a button to lock is pretty cool, as is waving to flush.

No paper towels is automatically -2 though.

Finnish trains remain unmatched for having a bidet though
A modern, compact restroom interior featuring a toilet, sink, and illuminated mirror. The walls are gray, and there are signs posted. The door to the restroom is partially open, showing a corridor with seating visible in the background. An interior view of a restroom, featuring a door mechanism with buttons labeled "Push to LOCK" and "Push to UNLOCK." There are two indicator lights—one red and one green—associated with the lock status, along with a splash of water Image of a restroom control panel featuring a flush button, a sensor with a green light, and toilet paper rolls. The panel includes tactile indicators and is designed for user-friendly operation.
November 6, 2025 at 9:33 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
This is undoubtedly the most uncomfortable seat I’ve ever sat on on a long distance train

The seats do have nice tray tables and power outlets though
Interior view of a train seating area featuring two adjacent seats with a dark leather-like covering. A black backpack is placed on the floor nearby. The window shows an "Amtrak" logo and a hint of the platform outside. Interior of a train showing a set of four plush seating with a folding table between seats. A person is partially visible in the background. The decor features a modern design with a patterned backrest.
November 6, 2025 at 9:12 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
At a first glance, the new Venture cars are nice! They look modern, and the extra wide aisle is actually pretty nice for getting around folks putting their bags up or getting sorted.

The ride is super smooth too
Interior view of a train car featuring rows of seats, with passengers standing and sitting. Luggage is stored overhead. The setting appears to be during travel, with visible windows showing a platform outside.
November 6, 2025 at 9:08 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
It’s old news now, but this is my first time riding in the new Siemens Venture cars on the Wolverine, let’s see how it goes!
A blue Amtrak train labeled "Midwest" is parked on tracks within a station. The front view shows the train's headlights, logo, and various details of the engineering cabin. The platform features yellow safety markings.
November 6, 2025 at 8:27 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
The compasses outside L stops are so clutch when your bus transfer is one minute away and you need to know which stop to stand at
A mosaic compass design embedded in a sidewalk, featuring the word "Chicago" at the top and directional markers. Some leaves are scattered around the area.
November 6, 2025 at 5:58 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
There’s something very goofy about making sure the L is in the background to take thirst traps of your car (as seen from the Brown Line)
A parking lot with five vehicles parked, including three SUVs in a row. A group of four people is walking across the lot taking photos of the SUVs, with a few trees and a building in the background.
November 2, 2025 at 4:45 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
Very easy to forget it’s #AWeekWithoutDriving when you bike or take CTA every day anyway, but here I am on the train!
A smiling man with a reddish beard and blond hair is taking a selfie in a subway train. He is wearing a checkered shirt with sunglasses hanging off the middle. The background includes metallic walls and a blue fabric seat.
September 29, 2025 at 11:18 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
The thing about Chicago is you can just be walking around and next thing you know this is the view
Chicago cityscape featuring modern skyscrapers, including the Sears tower prominently in the middle, surrounded by trees and residential structures. The sky is clear, and the lighting suggests late afternoon.
September 26, 2025 at 1:09 AM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
Up early for work, and while it wouldn’t be surprising to anybody who works third shift normally, even at 4 AM there are lots of folks up early to get to work!

Flight attendants, security guards, healthcare workers, transit employers… all relying on CTA to get where they need to go (including me!)
Jackson Blue Line CTA station platform featuring a man standing near a support pillar, holding onto it. He is wearing a black jacket with colorful text, gray pants, and red sneakers, with a blue backpack. In the background, several people are seated waiting for the train
September 24, 2025 at 12:03 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
I did grab the train home though
A view from inside a subway car, focusing on a cream-colored canvas bag in the foreground. The background shows empty seats and passengers sitting across from each other, with reflections visible in the windows. The interior is bright and features metal poles and overhead lights
September 12, 2025 at 12:39 AM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
Absolutely beautiful night to grab a Divvy to pick up a Facebook Marketplace find

Also the Milwaukee bike lanes are pretty rad
A city street scene showing cyclists riding on a designated bike lane beside vehicle traffic. Modern buildings line the street, with traffic lights and a "No Turn on Red" sign visible. The sky is clear, indicating early evening.
September 12, 2025 at 12:38 AM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
It’s difficult to describe just how much nicer it is now that the Alaskan way viaduct has been torn down

Places for cars vs a park for people
(Today) A bustling waterfront cityscape featuring a path with pedestrians, modern buildings, and a large Ferris wheel. The scene includes trees and greenery, with a distant view of bridges and cranes along the waterfront. (2025) A view of a bustling waterfront area in Seattle, featuring modern buildings, a wide promenade lined with greenery, and the Seattle Aquarium. A large Ferris wheel is visible in the background, along with cranes and docks indicating ongoing port activity. (2018) A smiling man stands on a waterfront with a gray sky overhead. In the background, there's a large ferris wheel and shipping cranes along the waterfront. The scene includes a sign indicating a no smoking area and features urban elements like roads and buildings. (2018) A street view featuring a crosswalk, traffic signals, and buildings. A person with blonde hair in a black jacket stands with their back to the camera, while another person is visible nearby. The scene includes a salon sign, vehicles in the street, and a highway off-ramp
September 5, 2025 at 8:34 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
I found a coffee shop to sit and watch the trolley buses go by
A coffee glass sits on a table next to a laptop, showing a scenic wallpaper. Outside the window, a purple electric trolley bus is driving down the street, alongside a parked scooter and urban buildings. Trees line the sidewalk.
September 5, 2025 at 6:44 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
Always fun to run into a quirk on transit I haven’t seen before, today it’s coach style seats on articulated city buses on Sound Transit

Pretty nice ride from Bellevue to Seattle
A Sound Transit bus is parked on a city street surrounded by trees and buildings. The bus features a blue and white design with wave patterns, and the display board shows "44 SEATTLE." Nearby, a few pedestrians and vehicles are visible. Interior of a bus with several passengers seated. Two women are visible at the front, one appears to be resting while the other looks at her phone. A person wearing a backpack stands in the aisle. The bus is illuminated with overhead lights and has advertisements An interior view of a public bus featuring empty and occupied seats. A few passengers can be seen seated, some looking at their phones. The bus displays route information on an electronic sign above. The environment is well-lit with overhead lights. The image shows the interior of a city bus with several passengers seated. Some individuals are reading or using their phones, while others are looking out the windows. Sunlight is streaming in from the windows, and there are green hills visible outside.
September 5, 2025 at 6:23 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
I am still not used to the way that you can see storms roll in from so far away here and watch the heavens open for a big storm

It’s so cool
A cityscape featuring a rain-soaked street with elevated train tracks. In the foreground, a train is on the tracks under overcast skies and light rain, and surrounding buildings are partially obscured by mist. Streetlights illuminate the wet pavement A city skyline featuring tall buildings with glass facades under a cloudy sky. The scene includes illuminated windows, a mix of modern and older architecture, and a street visible in the distance.
August 18, 2025 at 11:14 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
And 20 minutes on the bus later…
Urban scene featuring a street viewed between two buildings, with an elevated train track above. The setting is during dusk, showcasing a blend of architectural styles. Streetlights illuminate the sidewalk, and city buildings reflect in the glass surfaces.
August 10, 2025 at 12:28 AM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
Gotta love a transit-accessible beach on a beautiful day
A busy beach scene featuring people swimming, playing in the sand, and lounging near the water. There are tents and umbrellas set up along the shore, with a building and a dome structure visible in the background. The sky is clear and blue
August 10, 2025 at 12:15 AM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
Today I got to ride a public ferry, tram, bus, and finally a metro train all in one day as part of sightseeing in Stockholm

It was a good day
A modern subway train is stationed at a platform inside a well-lit underground station. The train has a white and blue exterior, with "Norsborg" displayed on the front. There are people waiting near the platform, and the surrounding walls feature drawings carved into them A blue articulated bus is parked on a street, with a rocky hillside and greenery in the background. Nearby, a building with a red brick facade is visible, along with an advertisement poster. Cyclists ride on the road beside the bus. A blue tram is stopped at a station with a service worker in a reflective jacket walking away. People are waiting at the platform, and trees are visible in the background. A passenger ferry named "Djurgården 9" is docked at a pier, with people boarding and disembarking. The sky is partly cloudy, and there are buildings in the background. A Swedish flag is visible on the ferry.
July 28, 2025 at 9:36 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
The stations are pretty standardized across the system. Wayfinding is generally good except at a couple stations like Kongens Nytorv where the print on glass is super hard to see

/3
An escalator leads down to a modern subway station, featuring digital screens displaying train information. The station signs indicate routes to Nørrebro. Promotional banners line the walls, featuring athletic imagery with the slogan "FEAR NOTHING." The overall design is sleek A crowded subway station showing people waiting and boarding trains. Signs indicate the direction to "Vanløse," and the platform has a modern design with escalators and clear signage. A modern subway station interior with directional signage for train lines (M1, M2) and an information display. An exit sign points to "Strøget." Passengers with luggage and casual attire are visible, along with a map of the transit system A bustling underground corridor filled with pedestrians. People of various ages are walking in both directions, with some carrying bags. The environment is well-lit, featuring a modern design with signs on the walls.
July 26, 2025 at 10:03 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
The trains are short at just 130 ft (39 m), so they really rely on low headways to make it work. They’re decently wide (2.65 m/8.7 ft) and have minimal seating, so they can still hold ~280-300 people (compared to 2400 on a 10-car B-Division train in NYC)

/2
A modern train is at a station, visible through glass barriers. People are seen boarding and waiting, with a clock and overhead infrastructure in the background. The environment appears urban and well-maintained. Interior of a modern train, featuring yellow handrails and overhead lights. A man in a reflective vest sits on a bench using his phone. Passengers are visible in the background, and large windows show a construction site outside. A view of the interior of a train, showing passengers seated and standing. The foreground features a child eating, while a man rests with his head down. The train windows reveal tracks and greenery outside. Yellow handrails line the ceiling, and overhead lights A view inside a subway car featuring two seated passengers. One woman is looking at her phone, while another sits across, holding her phone as well. The doors of the subway can be seen in the background, with yellow handrails and various informational signs
July 26, 2025 at 10:03 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
The Copenhagen Metro is so much fun every time I visit. A cute automated train on its surface that smoothly carries over 360,000 people per day with 24/7 service and which seems to expand every time I visit.

Let’s talk about it

/1
A modern subway station interior with sleek metallic walls and bright lighting. Two people are seen walking towards a digital information board displaying train schedules, including directions to Østerport. The area features glass barriers and promotional posters along the walls. A modern subway entrance with glass construction and a large red "M" symbol is shown. Two people are walking down the stairs, and a brick tower can be seen in the background. The setting has greenery and a cloudy blue sky. View from the front of a train, showing railway tracks extending into the distance with greenery on either side. A handrail is visible on the left side of the image, and the sky is partly cloudy. Interior of a subway train showing multiple passengers. The scene includes two women sitting on benches, one focused on her phone, and a man sitting nearby. The train has yellow handrails, and a display indicates the route to "Lufthaven."
July 26, 2025 at 10:03 PM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
Copenhagen has a zone based system where the fare is based on the number of zones you travel regardless of mode.

But it makes the payment app super easy to use as a visitor
The image shows a mobile app interface for "rejsekort," displaying a user profile with the name "Erik." It includes options for ticket type, a depiction of a smartphone, and various icons representing buildings and a person.
July 25, 2025 at 11:34 AM
eriktakestransit.bsky.social
And yes, we did in fact have a lovely train ride home after too
A live music performance at an outdoor venue called The Salt Shed. The stage features musicians with instruments, colorful stage lights, and a crowd of fans. Large screens display close-ups of the performers. The setting is during twilight.
July 16, 2025 at 3:42 AM